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Posts: 3,540
and as usual, some good, some bad, and some ....well, its just "life as we know it" let's put it that way....
To begin with my little baby girl, Blossom has begun her long journey to America. On April 3 she travelled from her breeder's in Scotland and took a six hour roadtrip to my friend Gina's in Hereford England. Gina is actually an importer/exporter...so quarantine station for ponies before they leave the UK. Gina's been giving me daily updates, and reports, and at one point was threatening to keep Blossom for herself. I think that's gone the wayside because 1. I know where Gina lives and told her I'd just come get Blos myself 
2. Little Blossom has recovered from her journey, gotten her legs under her, and as Gina says "She's a PIG!!!! She's eating me out of house and home!!!! 
(I think Blossom's making up for lost time in true dales pony style) With any luck at all, she'll be beginning the next leg of the journey on Tuesday, April 18th. I've been working like a mad woman getting everything 'just so' in the back pasture. To be honest, I feel like I've been rearranging it like a nursery, wanting to be sure I roll out the red (okay green) carpet for her.... Not much longer and I'll have my baaaby with me 
Which brings me to the second part of the saga...Okay, I have kidney stones, and have had them off and on (mostly on) for nigh on three, going on four years... sporadically more years than I care to remember prior to that. Acupuncture has been working brilliantly for me since Oct, coupled with Chinese herbs for breaking up the stones. Can honestly say physically I was about half dead much of the time...horrible things. Anyhoo, been sailing along, happy as Larry and then BOOM! I get knocked for nine with a nasty big stone lodged just under my pelvis. Now I'm pretty used to kidney stones making me feel wonky, and yes they hurt (can't really compare it to anything, because I haven't had kids, nor any of the other ailments the pain's normally compared to ~ and I DON'T WANT TOO!!! 
) This one I was *ticked* over though because it was big enough to put pressure on my back muscling and wreaked havoc with my right leg and arm. In other words, because of the stupid stone, I could only put half my weight onto my leg, and ditto my right arm if held at a certain distance (same with my torso if I leaned too far forward) Talk about fireworks!!! Oooh, not nice, and very, very sickening feeling.
Now, I needed to remove some flower beds from the back pasture. I think the original farmer's wife had absolutely nothing better to do than plant the wretched things, as they are positively everywhere, and Dales ponies eat ANYthing green, or otherwise...they tend to see if something's edible.. ..and not being native to this country, so she might not know *not* to eat them... 
So of course I'm in panicked mommy-mode wanting to remove such from her field. Gimping along, I've been doing great, and then hit the last of the flower beds, tiger lilys which I am told are deadly poison. So I dig bulbs, and Mister (a stray tom cat) hangs out to keep me company before going out mousing again, or sleeps in the shade, and I shuffle next door to our brilliant City Works department that has a dump place for brush, leaves and lawn clippings....they also have a dog pound that I don't pay much attention to. We have a very small town, so the bulk of the dogs that come through actually have their collars and tags and are only there a day or so until their owners come and collect them. I had noticed a larger, very quiet dog, there however, so after I dumped my bulbs, I trundled my cart over to visit and say 'hi' to the fellow. And so it continued, day after day, dig up bulbs, go next door, dump and then pet on him to keep my mind off my leg and back and just to 'reward' myself for making progress, however small.
Finally it came, I'd finished my bulbs, and much to my puzzlement, he was still there. So I contacted Jody, the elderly gal that takes care of the dogs, and I arranged to bring him home. He was a 'rottweiler' mix, but to be honest, he wasn't very much like the rottweilers I have met. He was extremely friendly (not to say Rotties aren't, many are) and had a thoughtful, intelligent, almost sad expression. He was black and tan in colouring and to top of his head was broad, but that's where the similarities seemed to end. He was heavier with skin about the neck, throat and jowls than a Rottie. Long n short, I brought him home Wed night, with Jodie warning him that he may end up with diarhea because she'd found the City guys had been feed him barbeque. True to form he looked positively green at food, and I didn't think much of it, thinking he'd know what was best, and probably would only be off food for a day at most. Home we went, and I had a delightful afternoon with him just playing (he was ever so keen on ball) and cuddling, and just enjoying him...he was such a loveable fellow.
Thursday I had a schedualed, and very much needed acupuncture appt, in the City. I fed everybody, and noticed he'd still not eaten, but he seemed in good spirits, so off we went. When we got home later that day, I discovered much to my horror the dog pen was not as shaded as I'd remembered. Our trees have been exceedingly late to leaf out, but he'd fallen asleep next to the shade of the shed, and was extremely dehydrated. Something was seriously wrong, I knew it by this point, but thought it might perhaps be the effects of a bad tummy ache, coupled with harsh temps. I took these pics Thursday night as I hugged, cuddled, and cajoled him into drinking some water for me
Donna's Duin BruinsDebbie,
Please let this be a happy ending! I am already on the verge of tears.
Donna
Debbie, sending you good thoughts and love - sounds like life has been tough for you and
hoping that it can be smooth sailing.
Hugs
Carolyn
Posts: 8,574Oh Debbie
For those with no experience I would submit it is like trying to give birth through ....
.hmmmm I can't use the analogy that I usually use.
.
It used to hit men more than women, and may still but the ladies are catching up.
The only good thing about being a girl with kidney stones is that while you are passing them your urethra is much shorter than a man's.
Thank you God!
That is pretty p...poor consolation.
I
I hope the pupster is better,
You can't leave us hanging here Debbie.
we all love furr babies......
I am glad you are back!
hugs
dilu
Debbie,
Please let this be a happy ending! I am already on the verge of tears.
Donna
Me too! Debbie, where did you go.......?
:hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug:
Tracy
Debbie,
I'm glad you're back. I hope you'll finish your story and it's a happy ending. You've had a tough time and I'm sending many hugs your way. :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug:
Creative Design Studio (RKR4CDS)First kidney stone at 63 yo 3 weeks ago - all night in the ER.
2 (count 'em ~ 2!!) different nurses told me during the night I was the first person they'd ever had do the breathing correctly... 4 years of T'ai Chi kicks into auto-pilot!!
Breathing, walking, rocking-while-walking & the IV drugs got me through.
Yes, definitely like labor.... and then having to 'strain' for 3 days... such indelicate things we must do...
It means at least 1 additional trip to the little girls room during the night but more liquid's being guzzled!
But the alternative??!! I'll take this stuff as it comes....
bears by beesley TMWelcome back Debbie Dear!! Wonderful to see you again!
Many Hugs Louise
Kiprie BearsWelcome back Debbie. :hug:
I'm so sorry that you have kidney stones ...
I hope your story will end with happy ending ......
Hugs/Marie
Past Time BearsOh dear, Debbie . . . I hope so much that everything is okay with you and the pup. So very sorry that you are in such pain. Sending good vibes and big hugs!
DoodlebearsRight there with you Debbie. I can't absolutely relate to the kidney stones...I have them too! I was in the emergency department at the hospital a few weeks ago. I'm mid tests right now as they say I have an irregular shaped kidney. Debbie I do hope you soon feel better and everything else goes well for the dog as well...how is he?
Hugs Jane. 
Back Road BearsAww, Debbie what a time you are having.
Hope he's ok.... please keep us updated!
When is Blssom due to arrive at her new home?
Hope the accupumcturist really helped this time... sound like a really awful stone and what a horrible place to have one lodged!
Hugs from Tucker & Riley & Me!
Daphne :hug:
Posts: 3,540
....sorry to leave you hanging gals. My computer went wonky on me, so I thought it had 'eaten' my post. As per my stone...its further along, and my back is sore, but healing. Thankfully my leg's just about back to normal. And for all those suffering with kidney stones ~ you have my complete and utter sympathies!!! :hug:
Thursday night I went out to take these pics... The first pic you can see where he looks Rottie, but the side pic, you can see where I meant the resemblance ended. He looks like he had some sort of mastiff in him as well...
And I'll warn you gals now ~ he's no longer with me, so if you don't want to read on...back out now... :hug:
Friday morning I knew he was well beyond my nursing skills and contacted our local vet. Brilliant people that they are, they managed to get him in within hours, and after taking weight and temp, discovered he was a very, very sick boy indeed. He had canine parvo, and as the vet explained, he'd been incubating it, and had most likely contracted it while at the pound.
For those who do not know what parvo is, its a horrible, horrible viral disease usually affecting puppies. The virus literally sloughs off the intestinal tract. With IVs pain meds and antibiotic support, the dog has a 50/50 chance of making it. Much of it depends on the dog, and the dog will never be right again, as the virus leaves the GI tract so damaged. I simply could not face putting him through that because I suspected the virus had all ready rampaged for nigh on two days. I hugged him tight as we put him to sleep, and I can thankfully say he went very peacefully, giving a huge sigh as he relaxed far far away from the horrible pain.
I bawled myself silly of course, and again the vet and his assistant were brilliant, giving me time to collect myself, and telling me how to disinfect as parvo is so highly contagious. Amanda's been vaccinated throughout her life, so I don't think she'll come down with it, but now I do have to worry 'what if'.
Sorry to have drug you all through this saga...I just needed to share with someone, especially as this guy had touched my heart so thoroughly. Been sobbing my heart out over him, couldn't do anything but. In the end, even though it was only brief, I am still glad I got to know him, that I brought him home, and that he did know happiness and friendship before he had to go. ....nuts, now I'm off to go cry somemore...
WienOh Debbie, you sure had and still have a hard time! :hug:
Poor baby; I guess, everybody who read this story about this lovely dog at least had tears in the eyes....... and I think it was brave what you did, taking him home even though you are suffering fom pain yourself so badly!!!
As for your precious little collection of kidney stones: here they do treat them with shock waves. Means: they destroy them by bombarding them and they go off with the urin.
I have this shock wave therapie happening to my shoulder next week because of calcifications, after I had it done in december alreadyand it was ( at least on the shoulder) completely painless.
2 peopla I know told me, that it did work with their kidney stones; well, it didn´t work with my shoulder in december. I guess the doctor was not aiming correctly 
I also heard about an alternate therapie with ( if I just translate it from german) "lightwaters". Water from healing wells is use for this and in case of kidney stones I could even imagine this to work.
In any case: I wish you well and that you get rid of them buggers!
Gaby
Past Time BearsOh that little pup was really cute and I'm so sorry he had such an awful, short life. You did as much as you could under very trying circumstances, Debbie, and I hope you will be feeling better before too long. Big hugs. :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug:
Posts: 3,540:hug: Thank you so much for your kind words and moral support gals :hug: I didn't mean to dump such an awful story on all of you....and I certainly wish it had ended better.... he looked like he was going to make one truly wonderful addition to the family
Please, PLEASE everyone, if you have a dog or cat, puppy or kitten PLEASE get them vaccinated and follow up on their yearly booster shots. This whole thing could have been easily avoided if someone had vaccinated this fellow earlier in his life. Its truly such a waste.....
Patsy Lake BearsOh Debbie I am so sorry to hear what you have had to go through ...... :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: I hope that you recover from all .....very soon :hug: :hug:
Posts: 8,574It doesn't seem you had much in the way of choices. I would have done the same. I am so sorry, though. Pain is pain and it doesn't matter that our fur babies were 'only' fur babies :cry:
Hugs to you, and :pray: you feel better soon.
right, you know, drink lots of fluids.....well, except coffee, and if you can tolerate it Cranberry juice is quite helpful as it helps restore the proper Ph balance.
:hug: :hug: :hug:
dilu
Posts: 3,540:hug: My kidney stone has pretty much left the building! :hug: So now its just up to the soreness (hamburger feeling) to leave... It'll get better soon I'm sure..
